For hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years, people have been living near what is now called Pipe Spring. This natural gusher of cool, fresh water sustained the Kaibab Paiute people in the otherwise dry, difficult landscape of the Arizona Strip, the triangle of land bordered by Utah, Nevada, and the Colorado River. This spot was to become a flashpoint for the intersecting and conflicting needs of three groups of people: the Kaibab Paiute, the Mormon settlers who arrived in this area in the 1860s, and the federal government. It is not difficult to imagine how the native people felt when the Mormons built a fort right on top of their primary source of water!
Today this national monument coexists with the Kaibab Pauite Reservation in which it lies, and the visitor center is a joint effort between the reservation and the park service. The monument presents a wonderfully preserved and recreated settlement with many original buildings and artifacts. Free guided tours are offered every day and greatly enhance the experience at the monument. The fort is furnished in original and period items, and it almost feels as though a Mormon family might return at any moment to eat their dinner. Longhorn cattle graze in their pen, and a chuck wagon is set up by the corral. There is a great loop trail that climbs up for a birds-eye view of the settlement. The cooling shade of the picnic area offers a spot to have a snack or a drink.
One of the least-visited national park units in Arizona, this monument is barely noticed by most travelers on Highway 389, but it is a most interesting and beautiful spot to step back in time to ponder the forces that shaped our nation.
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